Community Relations in Marlboro Country

When you are the public relations person for a company like Altria Group or Philip Morris USA much of your job is spent combating negative media and quietly creating good media. The reputation is so bad that they can't even make grand gestures of good will because inevitably it will lead to protestors getting equal coverage and the effort being all for naught. So all this as a precursor Altria certainly does its fair shair of charity work and were it a company in good public standard would probably be heralded as one of the more generous major corporations in the US. Last year they gave away around 2.5 billion dollars to various charitable organizations including those that make youth anti-smoking and smokers cessastion advertising. They lead the cause of the "We Card" program that we have all seen in local gas stations and convenience stores to prevent minors from purchasing cigarettes. Also Altria gives to the Richmond Public School System where the major Philip Morris factory is located.